Media student to run charity marathon

A media student who couldn’t manage a mile eight months ago will this weekend be running a marathon in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support.Joe Ward, 19, of Beverley, will tackle the Yorkshire Marathon in York on Sunday after his dad, Dave, challenged him to run a marathon with him before he turned 50.He is raising funds for Macmillan Cancer Support after directing a video about Vicki Haley, of Anlaby, a keen advocate and fundraiser for the charity, who died in 2013.

Joe, who is studying on the Level Three BTEC Extended Diploma in Interactive Media, said: “My dad wanted me to run a marathon before he turned 50 and I have also helped Macmillan a lot in the past.“I wasn’t originally going to do it for charity but I realised I could do it for Macmillan. Helping to make a video about someone who was ill made me want to assist Macmillan as much as I could.”

Joe was one of a group of students, along with Chris Lilly and Lewis Singleton, who last year edited footage of fundraising events organised by Vicki Haley in with a frank and deeply moving talk she gave to the charity’s volunteers and staff about her illness.The team at Macmillan were so impressed that they showed it at a conference in Manchester in February, in front of more than 200 delegates.

Joe, who plans to progress to a film and TV degree at university, has now been training in preparation for the marathon for eight months and estimates he has run about 1,200 miles in that time.He said: “When I first started, I couldn’t run a mile. I was out of breath. Now, I’m averaging 50 to 60 miles over six days each week.“I’m a bit nervous at the moment because it’s sneaking up on me pretty quickly. I’m confident I can finish it but not so much that I can do it in less than four hours.”